Auburn's 2024 projections: Hugh Freeze could stumble against 3 SEC rivals this season

The Auburn Tigers have not been able to improve over the last few years. During the 2023 season, coach Hugh Freeze's first year with the program, the Tigers had a 6-7 record.

This was their third consecutive losing season, something that has not happened to them since the 1970's. Can this season be any better for the Tigers in what will be a very different SEC landscape? Let's see.

How many wins could the Auburn Tigers have this seasons?

Pro Football Focus (PFF) has predicted that the Auburn Tigers will have another six-win season. In contrast, Fan Duel is a little bit more optimistic in their predictions for the Tigers, giving them a seven-win season.

One of the reasons for the projections is that the Tigers play one of the most difficult schedules in the conference. They face many of the conference's elite programs, and while quarterback Payton Thorne is a talented player, he may struggle to stay up with some of the finest quarterbacks in the country.

He has also been known to struggle with passing on occasion, which he cannot afford to do against larger programs.

Who are the Auburn Tigers playing this season?

The Auburn Tigers will play the following teams this season:

• Alabama A&M Bulldogs
• California Golden Bears
• New Mexico Lobos
• Arkansas Razorbacks
• Oklahoma Sooners
• Georgia Bulldogs
• Missouri Tigers
• Kentucky Wildcats
• Vanderbilt Commodores
• UL Monroe Warhawks
• Texas A&M Aggies
• Alabama Crimson Tide

Which SEC Programs may the Auburn Tigers struggle against?

The Tigers have a hard schedule this season, and here are some of the games in which they are likely to struggle.

The first of these games is against the Georgia Bulldogs. Georgia is the number-one ranked team and the favorite to win both the SEC championship and the national championship this season. They will be a hard team for any SEC team to defeat, so it is only wise to say that Auburn is likely to struggle in this game.

Another game that the Tigers could struggle in is their Iron Bowl matchup against the Alabama Crimson Tide. Last season, Auburn was very close to getting the surprise win, but a late touchdown from Jalen Milroe put an end to that dream. There are some unknowns about this year's Alabama team, but they are talented enough to defeat Auburn.

A game that may be a tight one is Auburn's game against the Texas A&M Aggies. Both of these programs could be considered the "middle powers" of the conference. The Aggies are slightly on the stronger side, but if the Tigers fail to deliver, this small gap could be a lot bigger on the field.